There always seems something better to do than just about anything that God has called us to. At least, in our minds, the things that we want to do seem more special and more rewarding. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
I know that I have had a problem with this in the past and that it is a problem that keeps cropping up today. There are so many things to do that I could spin and spin around in circles trying to decide what I want to do with my time.
I’m sure that others have similar issues, though it doesn’t seem as if it is an issue at all. That is, until you look at those things through the words of God.
God has asked us to do what he wants done. What he wants is for us to help others and to be willing to sacrifice in order to do so. Yes, money is a part of it but the even bigger sacrifice for most of us, is that of our time.
We are all so busy and what little free time we have, we want to use in a way that relaxes us and gives us satisfaction. Maybe even some pride in what we have created with our two hands or our mind.
That sounds like a great way to spend your time. Especially when compared to those who spend their time playing video games, trolling through social media or even reading or watching the news as it unfolds around us.
Just one problem with that, none of that is going to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only when you sacrifice the things you want to do in order to spend that precious time and money on something that God wants done, that you really begin to understand the satisfaction of walking the path that God has created for you.
There really isn’t anything wrong with having a hobby. It is when you let that hobby consume you or take precedence over God that you start ending into trouble. A hobby seems so simple and easy but if you are not careful, you can start creating an idol.
In the Old Testament, over and over again, the prophets spoke to the people of Israel and condemned them for worshiping the idols of wood and metal that they had made with their own two hands.
That isn’t so unlike what we have today. While we are not necessarily creating actual idols that we bow down and worship, in effect, we are doing much the same with whatever it is that we put above God.
It could be a hobby, it could be a job, it could be a relationship, it could be money. It could actually be an idol. Yes, there are still many who would rather worship a god they made than to come face to face with the God of the universe.
I suspect that is because the god of their hands will never condemn them for what they have done and continue to do. The true God is perfect and anything less than perfect rightfully deserves his condemnation.
What they don’t know is that while God has every right to condemn us and to cast us away, he actually loves us and wants us to draw near to him. He gave us a way, through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus, to have our sins covered for eternity. When we accept Jesus as our savior and accept his free gift of salvation, we become the children of God.
Still, for those who know Jesus and have walked with him for days, weeks or years, it is still easy to start creating idols in our lives. Every time you put that “thing” in your life above God, you are crafting that man-made god.
At this time of the year, we all start thinking about giving. Some of us will even start thinking about giving in a sacrificial manner. We may deny ourselves one more thing in our life in order to give to others.
That’s a good thing. Still, what God wants is for us to have that same spirit of sacrificial giving all year long. We should be actively looking for ways to help other people. It may be in big ways or in small ways. It doesn’t matter how large or small it is, what matters is the spirit with which we do these things and that we acknowledge, if only to ourselves, that we are doing it for God.
On that note, keep in mind that tooting your own horn is not a good thing when it comes to giving. What we do in private is known by God and he will reward. When we start giving and doing for the sake of the adulation of others (or even for thumbs ups or likes on social media), we will have received our reward here and now and God will not consider what we have done to have merit in his kingdom.
We should start looking at how much we are accumulating and what we do with our time and ask ourselves, is this really what we want with our lives? Or do we want to give to others and help them and have a little bit less of our own.
I know that this something that I need to consider over and over again. I hope you do the same and start looking for ways to provide help and assistant to others who are struggling and who are in need.
Matthew 6:1-4
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”